


Febuwhump 2021

by SociallyAwkwardFox



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Betrayal, Blood, Broken Bones, Buried Alive, Burning alive, Choking, Crystal Removal, Depression, Dissociation, F/F, Family Issues, Hallucinations, Imprisonment, Insomnia, M/M, Major Character Injury, Matricide, Memories, Memory Loss, Mind Control, Neglect, Nightmares, Past Character Death, Past Torture, Patricide, Poisoning, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Doubt, Self-Sacrifice, Setting Bones, Sleep Deprivation, Temporary Character Death, Torture, Truth Serum, Warlock Pacts, bisection, past human experimentation, wound care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 18,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29121168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyAwkwardFox/pseuds/SociallyAwkwardFox
Summary: Prompt fills for Febuwhump 2021.
Relationships: Astrid/Jester Lavorre, Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast, Caleb Widogast & Yasha, Eodwulf/Caleb Widogast, Fjord & Beauregard Lionett, Fjord/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 68
Kudos: 106
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	1. Day 1. Mind Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

“Enough.” Trent's voice boomed through the hall over the noise of fighting. “Enough of this. If you're determined to refuse, I'll make one of your friends see reason.”

He pointed a finger at Fjord midway through rushing toward him with the Star Razor prepared to strike him. Fjord came to a sudden halt with the sword still raised, then mechanically turned to look straight through Caleb. Heavy footsteps against the stone echoed in the large room as Fjord stalked the short distance between the two of them. The hit struck so hard that all the air in his lungs was forced out by the incredible force behind it. Before he could say a word, another pain flared in his other side from a second swing.

“Fjord, please. I know you're still there. You can fight him.”

No recognition showed in Fjord's eyes in response to Caleb's pleading, so the next burst of pain wasn't the least bit unexpected. It was the second that stopped the words on the tip of his tongue from coming out. His hands reached down to feel where the blade lodged in his abdomen, then one slid up to wrap around Fjord's on the hilt of the blade. Caleb reached his other bloody hand up to gently cup the side of Fjord's face and brushed a shaky thumb across his jaw.

“Fjord, my love, I'm sorry I brought you into this. When we first met, I never imagined we would make it to this point. I hoped that I might be able to gain something from spending time with all of you to help me walk this path, but you all surprised me. I didn't expect you to walk this path with me, and you did. You've walked with me longer than I could have ever hoped. I thought I would do this alone. Now, I can't imagine doing this without you. Please come back to me, Fjord.”

Despite the pain from the sword burning through his abdomen, Caleb pushed onto the tips of his toes to press a kiss to Fjord's check. He gasped in pain when the Fjord twisted the sword to tear through more of the muscle and organs than it already had. His fingers tightened around Fjord's in preparation for the blade to be removed or forced through more of him, but it remained surprisingly still. Instead, a hand reached up to wipe away the tears that slipped free when the pain struck.

“I know I ask a lot of you. I need this one more thing. Fight him, please. Fight him and come back to me.”

His hand moved with Fjord's to force the sword higher in his abdomen, causing him to unexpectedly cough up blood. It clung to his lips and chin and filled his mouth with a metallic taste that he was all too familiar with. Instinctively, his nails dug into Fjord's hand as he did his best to breathe through the steadily increasing pain. Each breath felt like an intense struggle that he forced himself to continue until Fjord was freed from Trent.

“Fjord, I love you. All of the Nein love you. Come back to us. You're so much stronger than him. Fight it. Please.”

Between one blink and the next, Fjord's blank eyes became full of life once against as he shrugged off the control Trent held over his mind. His lips began to tip up in a smile, only to abruptly stop when realization struck him. He pulled Caleb in close by wrapping an arm around his shoulders, then placed a kiss on the top of his head and left his chin resting there. Caleb tucked his face into Fjord's neck to hide his gasp of pain when he felt the slow slide of the sword exiting his body.

When Fjord's movement began to come to a halt partway through, Caleb gave a squeeze of encouragement to keep them moving. As it finally slid free, the sword clattered to the feet, so Fjord could press his palm over the hole in his abdomen. Some of the wound stitched close, enough so he no longer felt moments away from losing consciousness from the blood loss. He pulled back from his spot tucked against Fjord's neck to give him the best smile he could manage.

“Cay, I'm so sorry.” Fjord leaned down to capture his lips in a coppery kiss that Caleb could barely reciprocate, then rested their foreheads together. “We're going to get you healing. You're going to be fine. That's all you need. A little healing.”

“I trust you, Fjord.”

His eyes clenched shut as he released a heavy breath and rubbed a hand gently up Caleb's side to settle over his ribs. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you. I could have killed you. You should have fought back.”

“I trusted you to break free before it came to that”

“You're going to make me go prematurely grey.”

“You say that like it would be a bad thing.” Caleb reached up a shaky hand to push back a lock of silvery hair that fell free from the tight bun. “A little more grey would just make you look more handsome.”

“Now is not the time. You'll need to apply pressure for me, darling.”

Caleb barely had time to follow Fjord's direction before he dipped down to lift Caleb into his arms. With one hand occupied, Caleb wrapped his free arm around Fjord's shoulders to help keep himself stabilized. Despite applying pressure, he could feel blood slipping through his fingers and dripping from his back. His head lolled to rest on Fjord's shoulder as he fought to remain conscious long enough to make it to a healer. He dug his fingers into Fjord's shoulders when he felt himself lose the fight to stay awake in warning, then everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	2. Day 2. "I can't take this anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Caleb & Yasha

Caleb took a seat next to Yasha on the deck of the ship and leaned back against the side with his head tipped back to watch the stars. The sound of the water below them and the breeze blowing across his face was almost enough to put him to sleep. A slight nudge against his side from Yasha moving kept him from giving into the exhaustion attempting to overtake him.

“Do you ever feel like you are losing track of what is real because you stop feeling connected to everything? It all dulls, and it feels like you're going through the motions, but you don't know if you're the one making the decisions. You're so removed from your body that everything feels like you're not in control.”

“Ja, there are days. It is like being along for the ride, or like everything is happening to someone else.”

“Are you ever scared that it is someone else?”

His fingers dug at his forearms at the mere thought of someone in his head using his body as he helplessly watched on. “There are days when I don't notice the difference. It feels like I am slipping into old habits and I don't know whether it's because they were so engrained I can't help but default to them, or someone else's influence.”

“How do you deal with it?”

“Poorly. I sometimes think I can't take this anymore. It is tempting to give into the self-destruction. I still have goals I want to achieve, but as long as I achieve them, what does the end result matter? If I die in the process, it would make it easier. Then I remember all of you, and I don't know whether that's true anymore.”

“I think the same. They do help, but it is hard to remember that when you're not sure if they're really there.”

“Reality is difficult for people like us. So many people have been in our heads for so long it doesn't matter we have been freed of them. It's like a part of their mind is still there. It lingers, and it makes it hard to feel like you are really free of them and have managed to make it this far.”

“But we have.”

“We have.” Caleb tipped his head to the side to look at Yasha, then reached out to hold her hand like a lifeline. “We've made it this far, and not because of any of them. We carved our own path. It may not have been perfect, but it is better. At least, I know it is for me. I never imagined I could have a family again, and this one is better than I could have even dreamed.”

“It is pretty good.”

“I agree.” The sound of laughter from the lower deck followed by feet stomping up the stairs filled the otherwise quiet night. “They are a little wild, but they mean well, and they are good. They can't undo what has already been done, but they make it easier.”

“Thank you, Caleb.”

“If you ever need to talk, I am here to listen.”

She squeezed his hand, then looked up at the sound of their names being called by an enthusiastic Jester in the middle of climbing to the crow's nest. “We should make sure they don't hurt themselves.”

“That is probably a good idea.”

“Caleb?” He paused his path for the stairs to look back at Yasha standing right where he left her. “I am a good listener. If you ever need one.”

“Thank you. I will be sure to remember that.”

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	3. Day 3. Imprisonment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

He stared out at the water stretched out in front of him as far as his eyes could see. With the sun slowly setting below the horizon, it made a beautiful sight, but it did nothing to rid the icy grip clenched around him. The closer they came to the sea the tighter the hold around him grew, until it felt like it was squeezing his heart in a tight grip. Not the warmth of the fire or the summer Nicodranas air helped the ice that still spread through him.

Worst still, his nightmares became more frequent to the point that he could hardly sleep more than a few hours without waking up choking on seawater. He resorted to staying up most of the night to avoid waking the others when he inevitably woke himself. Even when they reached the Lavish Chateau, Fjord stayed up most of the night, so Caleb wouldn't become more concerned than he had been on the road.

Despite doing his best to keep up appearances, the others had taken to periodically checking in on him and shooting him worried glances. His reassurances and fake smiles did nothing to calm any of his companion’s concern. He found himself under near constant surveillance to the point he hadn't been able to so much as turn around without someone there. It was a miracle he had the last hour to himself on the docks.

After sucking in a deep breath of air, Fjord moved his eyes from the horizon to the inky depths below. “You think this changes things? Nothing has changed. I'm not releasing you. I've seen what you want. I won't let you have it.”

The grip on his heart tightened to the point he could hardly breath and his vision blurred to near black. His entire body felt frozen solid, except for an unexpected heat radiating from deep within his abdomen. As the searing sensation grew, he slowly found his vision clearing to reveal the orange and purple painted sky. A pair of blue eyes full of worry looked down at him and a mouth was moving, but he heard no words.

It wasn't until the burning finally ceased that he felt his body beginning to return to his own control. His frozen limbs relaxed against the dock, the rapid beating of his heart calmed, and his hearing returned. The voice he hadn't been able to hear before filled his ears.

“I can't get the others, and I can't carry you on my own. They're too far. I need you to help me. Fjord, please.”

“Cay?”

A sharp expletive fell from Caleb's lips. “How do you feel?”

“Would you believe me if I said I'm fine?”

“You're bleeding and covered in frost.” A pressure on his abdomen pulled his attention down to the hands pushed firmly against him. “Can you sit up?”

“What happened?”

Eyes flicked over to a blood covered orb sitting next to Caleb's leg that glowed a familiar bright yellow. “You went completely still, then you started convulsing and that came out. We need to get you to Caduceus or Jester.”

“You need to get away from that.”

“Fjord-”

“I mean it, Caleb. Uk'otoa-”

“Fjord, I know.” Despite Fjord's warning, Caleb pocketed the orb, then returned his hand to Fjord's bleeding abdomen. “We need to go. Can you sit up on your own?”

While it took longer than he would have liked, Fjord eventually struggled to his feet with an arm around Caleb's shoulders for support. When he began to tip dangerously to one side, Caleb wrapped an arm around his waist and encouraged him to lean against him. His own hand covered the one Caleb still had pressed to his open wound to help slow the flow of blood.

“Caleb, thank you.”

“You don't need to thank me. We want to help, but we can't do that if you don't talk to us about what is happening. This pact that Uk'otoa has bond you to will kill you at this rate. You need sleep and to stop pissing him off.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Do you trust us?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Trust us to help you break free of him.”

“How much have you talked about this behind my back?”

“Enough to have a few ideas of what to do.”

A spike of pain through his chest had Fjord grunting and leaning into Caleb's warm body. “Where do we start?”

“That is up to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	4. Day 4. Impaling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Astrid/Jester

“Honey, I'm-” Jester's voice came to an abrupt halt at the scene before her-Astrid sat at the kitchen table, expression blank, a dagger left just within reach. “Home. Do you... What are you doing?”

“Thinking.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“I want to take them out.”

“Oh.” After a moment of hesitation, she took the chair next to her at the table and began fiddling with the dagger. “Are you sure?”

“Caleb removed his.”

“But he didn't have cool tattoos.”

A soft chuckle slightly lessened the tension of the moment. “No, but I was hoping you would help. I am many things, but a cleric isn't one.”

“Are you sure this is the best way to do it? How are you going to get them out?”

“I have a few other things to help. I wouldn't want to get blood all over this beautiful table your mom gifted us.”

“That's not what I'm worried about.”

“I know.”

Without another word, Astrid left the room for a few minutes, then returned holding a heavy towel and a pair of forceps. She took a moment to spread the towel on the table and set the forceps next to the dagger. Her fingers wrapped around the dagger to press it firmly against one of the tattoo covered scars on her forearm.

“Wait!” When Astrid's fingers relaxed around the dagger, Jester quickly leapt out of her chair to retrieve an empty plant pot sitting on the breakfast nook windowsill. “You can put them in here.”

“Thank you.”

After leaning over to press a kiss to Jester's cheek, Astrid returned her full focus to carefully dragging the dagger across her skin. Blood welled from the split skin and spilled over when she dug in with the forceps. A moment of digging around later Astrid pulled them out with a green crystal clamped in them. She placed the residuum in the empty plant pot, then wiped off her skin and picked up the dagger to remove the next one.

Every few removals, Jester gently set her hand on Astrid's arm to heal the fresh wounds and cleaned away the slowly drying blood. The entire time her tail twitched impatiently behind her as the desire to rip the dagger from her fingers grew. Switching from one arm to the next did nothing to ease the gnawing dread in her gut. It wasn't until Astrid finally removed the last piece hidden beneath her skin that Jester allowed herself to relax.

As soon as she placed down the forceps and made no move to pick up the dagger again, Jester healed the last of her wounds. She grabbed the blood-soaked towel and plant pot to put them somewhere they could be out of sight to be dealt with later. Jester returned with a damp towel in hand to gently wipe away any blood still sticking to her skin.

“What should we do for dinner tonight? I was thinking we could try that recipe Caduceus sent us. We should have everything we need to make it.”

“Jes,” Scarred fingers intertwined with her to give a soft squeeze. “thank you. I know that wasn't easy, but I appreciate the help. I have been wanting to do this. It feels much better knowing they are no longer there. It is... freeing.”

“I'm just glad you felt comfortable enough waiting to ask for my help.”

“Who else would I ask, love?”

“I don't know.” Jester stood to press a kiss to Astrid's forehead, then pulled away with a smile. “So, what do you want for dinner? I'm feeling like something sweet.”

“You always want something sweet.”

“I didn't hear you disagree.”

“How about I make that apple dessert you like, and we have the recipe Caduceus sent for dinner?”

“We have apples?”

With a small smile, Astrid rose from the chair to press a kiss to the top of Jester's head. “They looked fresh. I thought we could do something with them.”

“You're the best! I love you.”

“I love you, Jes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	5. Day 5. "Take me instead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Past Widowulf & Current Widofjord

A set of claws dug deep into his side, then ripped through the skin and muscle as easily as tearing paper. He stumbled back from the force right into the firm chest of someone that managed to wrap an arm around his waist to prevent him from falling. As he prepared himself for another set of claws, whoever caught him spun them around in time for the blow to completely miss him. The pained grunt in his ear told him that the person wrapped around took the hit in his place.

Their momentum sent them rolling down the small set of stone steps leading up to the portal the creatures were coming through. When they came to a stop, the body hovering over his lifted enough for him to recognize the face. Blood caked the left side of his face and his nose looked broken.

“Wulf.”

“On your feet.” After rising to his own feet, Eodwulf extended a hand to help Caleb onto his. “Be more careful.”

The rush of healing that moved from their connected hands to the fresh wounds on his abdomen stitched them enough to slow the bleeding. Before he could say a word of thanks, Eodwulf moved away to attack the same creatures that had clawed them earlier. As he moved his focus back to the portal, a cold sensation ran through him as he locked eyes with the entity that just stepped into their plane.

The rest of the room seemed to melt away as it floated closer to him, never letting its eyes stray from his. When it got close enough for one of its hands to touch him, fingers reached out to gently run along the side of his check. A gentle probing at his mind ripped him out of his strange fixation on the creature taking his jaw in hand.

As the world came back into focus, a strange voice filled the room that undoubtedly came from the creature though its mouth did not move. “We will call this off. All we require is this one. It has what we need. Its power will help us.”

“Take me instead.” While his face stayed locked in place by the fingers gripping his jaw, his eyes shifted to the figure standing next him. “You can use me.”

A moment of pause passed, then the fingers on his face released and the hand extended to the person next to him. Before he could say anything, Eodwulf placed a hand on his chest to give him a firm push backwards. Arms immediately wrapped around him to drag him backwards despite him not moving his own feet.

“Wulf?”

“For once,” His eyes left Caleb's to lock with Fjord, who began pulling Caleb further back than he already had. “do not argue with me.”

While his words failed him, Caleb started struggling against Fjord's hold on him, but the arms tightened to keep him pinned. When his struggling picked up, Fjord lifted him off the ground to carry him further away. Eodwulf's name came out a broken wail as the hand extended out to press against his forehead. Not another word made it past his lips before the two vanished along with the rest of the creatures and the portal.

His body went completely limp in Fjord's hold as he stared blankly at the spot where Eodwulf had been moments ago. Another wave of healing rolled through him at the same time Fjord spun him around in his arms. His head tucked under Fjord's chin, pressing his face into his chest, and blocking his view of the rest of the room. He brought his hands up to clutch onto the back of Fjord's armor as a sob tore through his chest.

“I'm sorry, Cay. I'm so sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	6. Day 6. Insomnia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

Despite the words blurring on the page, Caleb forced himself to continue reading the book he'd been working his way through most of the evening. While he'd given up on taking notes a few hours ago, there hadn't been anything better to do than keep reading. To his knowledge, all the other occupants of the Xhorhaus had settled down for the evening long ago. Even Fjord agreed to head to bed for the night when Caleb assured him, he'd make his way there at some point.

A few times, his mind drifted to the warm bed just a few feet away from him where Fjord would be sound asleep and softly snoring, but sleep held no temptation. There were too many thoughts swirling around in his head for a peaceful night's sleep to be in the cards. The memories of the children screaming in fear as they struggled to keep the creatures away from them refused to leave his mind. Every time his eyes slipped shut longer than a few seconds, the little girl being pulled away by the one that managed to get through their defenses filled his mind.

With a heavy sigh, he opened his heavy eyelids to continue slowly reading the book, so his mind wouldn't get sucked deeper into the memory. It was between one blurry word and the next that a noise to the left of him distracted him from his reading. A half-asleep Fjord leaned against the doorframe to their room with a hand rubbing away sleep from his eye. When he noticed Caleb looking at him, he pushed off the doorframe to lean against Caleb's desk instead.

“I don't have your flawless mind, but I'm pretty sure it's way too late for you to still be up. Or too early. You know what I mean.”

“It is one of those nights.”

A low hum rumbled out of Fjord's chest as he reached out a hand to rub comfortingly between Caleb's shoulder blades. “It was a rough day.”

“Ja, it was.”

“I know it's not easy, but will you lie down and close your eyes at least? Straining your eyes like that can't be good for them.”

“I am not sure that is a good idea.”

“Why is that?”

“I would prefer not to close my eyes.”

“Ah,” The hand on his back rubbed a few slow circles, then came to a halt. “how about you talk about what you've been reading or magic or whatever you want? Would that help?”

“Are you sure you will not mind?”

“Mind what? Listening to your beautiful voice? It might be a bit of a struggle, but I think I'll be able to manage.”

“I am serious, Fjord.”

“So am I.” Fjord leaned down to press a kiss to Caleb's forehead that nearly ended up missing and landing on an eye instead. “The last thing I mind is listening to you talk. I love the sound of your voice. It's not a hardship on me. Please come to bed?”

“If I start to annoy you-”

“Cay, I promise you won't annoy me. I will be much more comfortable with you in bed with me. Listening to you talk is not going to take away from that.”

“If you're sure.”

“Positive.”

As he pushed off Caleb's desk, a hand extended out to help him out of his desk chair, then kept hold of it on the walk to their bedroom. After gently urging Caleb onto the bed, Fjord slid under the covers next to him and stretched his arm across the top of Caleb's pillow. The obvious open invitation gave Caleb the encouragement he needed to pillow his head on Fjord's chest to listen to the steady beat of his heart. A steady flow of whatever came to mind began to fill the silence as Caleb let his eyes slid shut and completely relaxed into Fjord. It wasn't long before Fjord's breathing evened out and soft snoring accompanied his words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	7. Day 7. Poisoning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Astrid/Jester

While she spent most of the morning torn, the excited smile on Jester's face when Astrid entered their home after a long day of work sent all her worries out the window. All it took was asking Jester to accompany her for a short trip for the other to quickly go grab their travel coats. After helping Astrid into hers, Jester had taken her hand and waited for the pull of her teleportation spell wrapping around them.

When they landed just outside her hometown, the other had looked curiously at her, then filled the silence with how her day went as Astrid led them to a small flower shop. With Jester's help, they picked out enough flowers for two bouquets and handed over the coin. They each took one in hand, then Astrid led them out of the shop in the direction of the graveyard just outside of town. As soon as the gates came into view, she felt a set of eyes flick over to search her face, but she kept her features purposefully blank.

Despite being a year since she last visited, it was easy enough to find the two graves nestled in the back left corner of the cemetery. Astrid bent down to place her bouquet of flowers on her mother's grave, then held out a hand to Jester to take the other to put in front of her father's headstone. The vibrant colors of the flowers stood out against the polished dark grey of the headstones, giving her something to stare at when the words began to flow.

“I have not been very good at this. I never knew what to talk about. What is there to say to the parents you poisoned? It's a little too late for apologies. I don't know that they would hear me if I did. They were never religious people.”

“I think,” The hand in hers gripped a little tighter, then Jester gave a gentle tug as she sat cross legged in front of the two graves. “you're just supposed to talk to them whether they hear you or not. It couldn't hurt to try, right?”

“I suppose.”

“I could go first.”

“You never met them.”

“No, but I met you.” After clearing her throat, Jester turned her full attention to the two headstones. “Hello! I'm Jester. You never met me, but I'm Astrid's girlfriend. We've been together for almost two years now. Things didn't start off so great because I thought she might be mean, but that was just Trent. He's the worst. I'm glad she forgave me for being mean to her.”

“You weren't mean. You were just trying to protect Caleb.”

“That doesn't mean I should have said what I did.”

With a fond roll of her eyes, Astrid leaned over to press a kiss to Jester's forehead, which earned her a soft smile. “I'm sorry for doing what I did. I got in over my head. I should have talked to you sooner. You always told me I could come to you with anything, but I just wanted to make you both proud. I don't know if you'd be proud of the person I've become. I don't know if it matters. I don't think I ever can be after what I did. I am trying to be better.”

“I think they'd be proud of you, just like Caleb's parents would be proud of him. You've both done amazing things. What Trent forced you to do doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of yourself.”

“I was the one that poisoned them, Jester.”

“Would you have done it if Trent didn't do what he did to you?”

“How am I supposed to know that?”

“Would you do it now?”

“No.”

“Then you wouldn't have done it.” Jester pressed a quick kiss to her check. “We should tell them about the garden! It's going to be beautiful when everything finally blooms. Caduceus might come up to help them out a little. He's really good with plants.”

“Praying to Melora doesn't count as being good with plants.”

“Maybe not, but he makes really good tea.”

“Dead people tea.”

“It's still really good!”

“It is good tea. I think the two of you would have liked it. You were always picky about your tea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	8. Day 8. Truth Serum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord & Empire Siblings

The press of the needle beneath his skin sent a flood of fear through him that only increased when they pushed the plunger down. His captor sat back with a large smile on their face as they waited patiently for the drug to take effect. A cool sweat broke out on his forehead during his desperate attempt to fight against it, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. The grin that stretched across his captor's face told him they were well aware of his failure to resist it.

“Now, why don't we start with something simple?” His finger tapped a slow rhythm on the metal arm of the chair he sat in. “What are the names of the other members of your group?”

“Tracy, Captain Tusktooth, Nott, Janet, Cornelius, Fiona.”

The tapping stopped as the man rose from his chair to backhand Caleb hard across the cheek. “Real names. The monk from the Cobalt Soul. What is her real name?”

“Beau.”

“Full name.”

“Beauregard Lionett.”

“Interesting.” Tapping started up once again as the man leaned casually back in his chair. “The halfling.”

“Veth Brenatto.”

“Firbolg.”

“Caduceus Clay.”

“Aasimar.”

“Yasha Nydoorin.”

“Half-orc.”

“Fjord.”

“I said full names.”

“Fjord.”

After a moment of consideration, the man gave a thoughtful hum. “Tell me about him.”

“His name is Fjord.”

“More. Where is he from?”

“Port Damali.”

“Family.”

“Us.”

“Birth family.”

“He was an orphan.”

“Occupation.”

“Adventurer.”

“If I keep having to clarify myself, I'm going to get angry. Don't continue to test my patience. Before you met, what was his occupation?”

“Sailor.”

“What is your relationship?”

“We are in the same group.”

The drumming stopped once again when he rose from his chair to move behind Caleb so quietly, he didn't expect the cord that wrapped around his throat. With his hands tied to the chair, he could do nothing except desperately fight against the bonds in the hopes he could get them free in time to do something. Just as his vision began to blur, the cord went slack allowing him to suck in a desperate breath of air to fill his lungs.

“What is he to you?” Caleb shivered at the unexpected breath ghosting along the shell of his ear. “I wouldn't recommend talking around it a second time.”

“We're a group. A family. Friends.”

“Just friends?” His breath stuttered in his chest at the implication. “Ah, I see. What about the monk? What is she to you?”

“She is my partner.”

“What kind of partner?”

“In what we want.”

“Which is?”

“Root out corruption in the Empire.”

“Corruption like your old mentor?”

“Ja.”

“Where is she from?”

“Kamordah.”

“That's what I thought. What is her current mission for the Cobalt Soul?”

“I don't know.”

“Are you sure about that? Think very carefully.”

The cord went taut but did nothing more than serve as a reminder that it would only take a little bit more pressure to cut off his airway. "I don't know. She doesn't tell us, and we don't ask. It's none of my business."

“If you-”

Yelling outside the door caused a swear to cut off whatever his next question would be, then the cord around his throat tightened. Once again, he jerked his arms uselessly against the bonds tying him to the arms of the chair. The burn of the ropes against his skin quickly changed to a raw slickness as they tore through the layers of his skin. Despite the fact they hadn't budged an inch, Caleb continued to tug and pull the best he could as his vision began to blur.

He could just make out the door flying open with a bang against the stone wall of the room, then something went soaring past his head to hit the man behind him. He barely managed a single grunt of pain before a blue blur rushed by to hit the man four more time. As his grip loosened on the cord, three spirals of light green energy went sailing to his left to finish the job off. With the cord now hanging limply around his neck, he could cough and splatter as he struggled to get oxygen back in his lungs.

After blinking a few times, he tipped his head down to see Fjord and Beau knelt on either side of him dealing with the ropes. The instant they came free the cool air caused him to hiss in pain at the sting from it meeting his fresh wounds. A cool hand sent a warm wave of healing through him that stitched together the broken skin. Before he could even thank Fjord, he moved down to work on the rope keeping Caleb's leg pinned to the chair.

When they both fell away, the two straightened up and exchanged a glance, then Fjord spoke in a gentle voice. “Think you can stand?”

“I don't know.” The rasp of his voice caused him to cough painfully. “I don't-”

“Don't talk. Can I pick you up?” He barely managed to nod his head in agreement, but Fjord quickly picked up on his meaning and lifted him from the chair. “I need you to answer one more question for me. We need to get out of here, but is there anything else they did to you that we need to heal now?”

“Can't heal.”

“What?”

“Can't heal. Truth serum. Told them things.”

“Fuck, okay. No questions until we figure out how to deal with that. We're going to get you out of here now.”

Rather than risk speaking again, Caleb tucked his face against the side of Fjord's neck and tightened his arms around his neck. On their way out of the room, he felt Fjord adjust his body to better pin him fully against his chest. The sounds of fighting reached his ears, but he ignored it all in favor of keeping his mouth and eyes clenched shut. They moved quickly through the room through a door that sent a rush of fresh air past them as they moved outside.

Despite expecting to be set down, they moved for a few more minutes before they came to a stop. Slowly, he felt himself lowered to the ground, but he couldn't convince his arms to unlock from around Fjord's neck. Instead of prying him off, their position shifted so he ended up seated in Fjord's lap with his face still tucked safely away. Another warm wave of healing magic eased the last of the injuries around his wrists and cleared the bruising on his throat, allowing him to breathe deeply.

“Is that better?”

“Much. Thank you.”

“Okay. I really promise no more questions now.”

Caleb snorted against the side of his throat. “Do you not want to know what I told him?”

“Doesn't much matter now, does it? I don't imagine he'll be doing much talking.”

“You know there are ways to make the dead speak.”

“Yeah, that's not going to be a problem. We told Veth and Jester fluffernutter is fair game.”

“Oh."

“Like I said, it doesn't much matter. We'll just wait to see if Caduceus can do something about this. If he can't, we'll just wait it out.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

“It's the least I could do. After all, you did the same for us.” A low groan rumbled out of Fjord's chest as he leaned back against something. “Feel free to take a nap. We might be here a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	9. Day 9. Buried Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

As the drowsiness wore off, the sense of wrong struck Caleb so quickly the panic set in before he could even assess the situation. All it took was attempting to sit up for the panic to skyrocket when his head hit something hard. Moving his legs and arms proved him to be trapped in a tight box that barely allowed him any space to move. Despite the panic, he managed to fill the space with glowing lights that illuminated enough for him to make out some of the details.

The wood box whoever captured him put him in appeared to be tightly sealed around the edges with no obvious weak spots. Pushing against the top didn't make it budge in the slightest, like there was something heavy on top preventing it from moving an inch. With some difficulty, Caleb wiggled down to get his feet firmly planted against the side of it. While his movement was limited, it only took a few slams of his foot against the wood for it to crack.

Before he could take advantage of that, something pouring through it brought him to an abrupt halt. The slightly moist feel to it sent a fresh wave of panic as he put together the pieces to draw what should have been an obvious conclusion. He quickly placed a foot over the crack best he could to prevent more soil pouring into what would likely become his coffin.

While taking a steadying breath, Caleb dug desperately through his pockets for a piece of copper wire. He let out a small sigh of relief when his fingers wrapped around the wire they must have missed when taking his components off him. It took some maneuvering to get the wire up to his mouth, but he managed it without too much trouble.

“Veth, are you there? You can respond to this message.” After waiting a few beats, he cast the spell again. “Beauregard, can you hear me? You can respond to this message.”

His heart sank when a few more moments past without a response from Beau. He took a few shaky breaths to remain calm, then considered his next target. They normally stuck closer together, so he didn't imagine it would make much of a difference, but he had to try.

“Fjord? You can respond to this message. Please.”

He thought the silence that followed would mean he would once again get no response, then a voice filled his head. “Caleb! Thank, Melora. Where are you?”

“I-I think underground.”

“Where underground?”

“Buried. I think they buried me. I'm in a wood box. I tried to kick out of it, but something started pouring in. I think it was soil. You have to be close.”

“Fuck! The floor is all dirt. Can you bang on the wood or something to help me find you?” With as much force as he could muster, Caleb slammed his hands against the top of the wood box. “I can hear you. Keep banging!”

Despite feeling splinters and bruising from banging against the wood, Caleb didn't stop until he heard something hit the wood box. A few minutes later the crack of wood splintering filled the air as Fjord forced the top off. He quickly accepted the hand offered out to help him out, then collapsed forward into Fjord's chest. His hands clung to the back of Fjord's armor and he pressed his face against him.

The soothing glide of a hand rubbing up and down his back slowly eased the tension in his body. He lifted his head up to meet Fjord's eyes to thank him, but his words were cut off by lips capturing his in a kiss. His hand reached up to tangle in Fjord's hair as he pushed up into the kiss.

When they parted, Fjord leaned down to rest their foreheads together. “I'm sorry.”

“For what?”

“I should have done more to protect you from them. They shouldn't have been able to take you like that.”

“It's not your fault. You saved me. Thank you.”

“I will always save you.” Fjord pressed a kiss to Caleb's forehead, then slowly pulled away. “The others were searching the rest of the compound. We should find them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	10. Day 10. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Empire Siblings

“Have I ever told you that you remind me of my mother?” Beau looked up from her reading to see Caleb watching her with his head tipped thoughtfully to one side. “We couldn't afford many books, but she was a reader. Always curious and wanting to learn. She was an incredible woman.”

“I don't think you've ever told me about her before.”

“She was the one that taught me how to read in Zemnian and Common. It was one of her favorite things to do. We would sometimes spend the afternoon at a little stream by our cottage just reading.”

“That sounds like a nice way to spend an afternoon.”

“It was. When I was still learning to read, she would sit me in her lap and read to me. I remember pretending to understand the books. I would make up stories and she would turn the pages like she was following along.”

“What kind of stories?”

“Oh, you know, stories about magic and exploring the world. The kind of thing a child from a small town would like to imagine was within reach.”

“Is she the one that got you so interested in magic?”

With a sharp inhale, Caleb scratched at his arms for a moment, then set his hands flat on the table. “When she was young, she dreamed of seeing the world. There were so many places she wanted to explore and things she wanted to learn. She saved all the money she could, but she met my father, and I came along and that dream went out the window. My father was proud of me when the Cerberus Assembly saw something worth their time, but my mother... The last thing she said to me before I left for school was how happy she was that I was able to chase my dreams. She wrote me letters every week. I kept them all in a box under my bed.”

“Do you think Trent still has them?”

“One of the last things I remember doing before Trent put me in Vergesson Sanatorium was burning them all.”

“I'm sorry. I didn't know.”

“How could you? It's not like I ever told you before.”

“I don't know. It just seemed like the thing to say. She sounded pretty great.”

“She was. I think she would have loved all of this. Nicodranas, Rosohna, even Rumblecusp. She would have loved them. I wish I could have taken her somewhere.”

“If you could only pick one place to take her, where would it be?”

“That is a tough one. She did often mention wanting to see the ocean, but I think she would have liked Uthodurn and the forge the most out of everywhere we've been. She was a bit of a history nut. It would have fascinated her.”

“Sounds like you have a lot of her in you. Loving magic and history.”

“Maybe. Sometimes I think so, but most of the time I feel more like my father.”

“I don't know much about him, but you sound a hell of a lot like your mother's son. It's hard to believe you're more like your father.”

“You might be right.” After a moment of silence, Caleb let his gaze drift back down to his book. “Thank you for humoring me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	11. Day 11. Hallucinations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

“Look at you, liebling.” A hand gently took hold of his chin to tip his head back, so the woman standing above him could get a better look at his face. “You're bleeding. How many times do I have to tell you to be careful? It'll get infected if we don't get that taken care of. You don't want that to happen, do you?”

“I'm sorry.”

The soft smile turned slightly confused as her eyebrows wrinkled up and she ghosted a soft hand along his head. “For what? I know you didn't mean to do it. Just be more careful next time.”

“You're not real.”

“Of course, I'm real. I'm right here.”

“No, you're gone. I killed you.”

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“No, I killed you.”

“Liebling,” She knelt down to bring their faces level. “how could you have killed me if I'm here?”

“You're not. You're not here. You're not real. You can't be.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because it's true.”

“Why do you keep denying what's right in front of you? You can see me with your own eyes.”

“That doesn't mean anything.”

“How could it not?”

As he took a shaky breath, Caleb lifted his hands to press his palms firmly against his eyes. “It's all in my head or it is magic or something. You can't be here.”

“Bren, liebling-”

“Stop it!”

When his hands pulled away from his eyes, he opened them to find the space in front of him completely empty. A sob tore through his throat that cut short at an unexpected set of arms wrapping around his waist. The instinct to struggle came to an abrupt halt when a familiar voice began speaking to him in a hushed tone.

“Say something, Cay. Please, please say something.”

“Fjord?”

“Thank, Melora.” The arms around him tightened as Fjord fell back and pulled Caleb into his lap in the process. “What the fuck just happened? You went completely still, then we couldn't get to you. It was like there was a barrier around you.”

“You didn't see anything?”

“No, was something else there?”

“I... I don't know.”

“Caleb?”

“Did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

Fingers dug nervously at his arms, almost drawing blood. “Hear me.”

“You weren't talking. You were standing there. That's all.”

“I saw her. I talked to her, but she wasn't real.”

“Who?”

“My mom. She wasn't real. She can't be. I killed her.”

He pressed his face firmly into Fjord's chest with his eyes squeezed shut and a hand latched onto his arm. A hand cupped the back of his head while the other began slowly stroking up and down his spine. The slow slide of tears down his face gradually soaked Fjord's shirt, but the other didn't seem the least bit annoyed by this. Instead, all he heard from the other was a steady stream of comforting words.

When the tears came to a stop, the hand on his back settled on his lower back to give a soft press. “Let's get out of here before something like that happens again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	12. Day 12. "Who are you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Empire Siblings

“Who are you?” A young boy that looked to be around seven poked his head around the office doorway to look at them with curious eyes. “What are you doing here?”

Without even looking at Beau, Caleb could sense the tension radiating off her at the unexpected arrival. “I'm Archivist Widogast, and this is Expositor Lionett of the Cobalt Soul. We are here on personal business.”

His eyes went wide at the mention of Lionett, then he shifted his gaze to openly stare at Beau and stepped a little further into the room. When neither of them did anything to dissuade him, TJ moved to stand right in front of them with his head tilted back to look at them. He took his time looking from one to the other, then slowly reached out to wrap his small fingers around Beau's hand.

“Are you Beau?”

“Yeah, TJ. It's me.”

“Mama said you wouldn't ever come back. She said you were like a super adventurer spy, and that you were too busy to visit.”

“Well, I, uh,” Beau dropped into a squat to bring them closer to eye level and did her best to give him a genuine smile. “that's part of it. It's hard to find the time to visit. Our business doesn't really take us in this direction. When you get older, maybe your parents will let you come visit. Caleb knows all the best places in Rexxentrum. It would be fun.”

“Really? For how long?”

“I don't know. You'd have to ask. It's not really up to me.”

“How would we get there?”

She poked him playfully on the nose, then pointed her thumb in Caleb's direction. “He says he's an archivist, but he's actually a super powerful wizard that just likes books a lot. He teleported us here.”

“A wizard?”

“Yeah, pretty cool, right?”

“Are you a wizard?”

“No, I'm more of a...” After miming a couple of punches, Beau gave him a little wink. “I leave the magic to him.”

“Could you teach me?”

“I'm not sure your parents would like that.”

“But you could teach me?”

“Yeah, I could. It would take a lot of training.”

“I'm going to visit and learn to be like you.”

Before anyone could say anything else, Thoreau returned with the stack of papers they requested in hand. He held out the papers for them to take, then motioned with one hand for them to leave his office and put the other on TJ's chest. Rather than exit through the offered door, Caleb sent TJ a quick wink as he wrapped a hand around Beau's elbow in warning. The tug of the teleportation spell pulled them from the Lionett home back to the Cobalt Soul in Rexxentrum.

As soon as the spell ended, Caleb turned to search Beau's face for any sign of what might be going on in her head. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

“Beauregard.”

“What do you want me to say? I knew that would suck. I just...”

“Didn't expect to see him.”

“I'm not surprised he didn't recognize me, but I didn't expect him to know anything.” She looked down at the papers in her hand. “Thoreau is going to be pissed when TJ asks to visit, especially if he tells him he wants to grow up to be like me.”

“He'd be lucky to have you teach him.”

“Thoreau wouldn't think so.”

“That is because he is a dick. He does not realize that his daughter's accomplishments have far exceeded anything he has ever done. Your brother, on the other hand, recognizes you are definitely the one he should be looking up to.”

“Or I'm just the mysterious older sister that he wants to be like because he doesn't know any better.”

“Maybe so, but he wouldn't be disappointed. You would be a good role model for him. Much better than you think.”

“It doesn't really matter. Thoreau will never risk his legacy by letting him visit.”

“We'll see. He could always surprise you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	13. Day 13. Hiding Injury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

While he did his best to keep a straight face throughout dinner, Fjord could feel a few eyes on him that meant he wasn't doing as good a job as he hoped. Despite being watched closely, none of them said anything, which meant they picked up on something being wrong but didn't know what. With that in mind, he was careful not to move too quickly or raise his arm high enough they might notice his bloody side. When the others began to excuse themselves for the evening, he relaxed back in his chair with every intention of being the last to leave.

“Would you like to retire for the evening?” The press of Caleb's hand against his shoulder nearly caused him to jolt out of his seat in surprise. “The cats have already filled the bath with warm water.”

“I, uh, yeah. That sounds like a good idea.”

It took every ounce of self-control to prevent a pained grunt from slipping out when he rose from his chair. He let Caleb tangle their fingers together to guide them to the center of the tower, so they could float up to their room. It wasn't until they reached the door that he realized he forgot to say up as he usually did, which Caleb undoubtedly noticed. Instead of questioning him the instant the door shut, Caleb led them to the warm bath waiting for them, then motioned for Fjord to sit on an unfamiliar stool.

“It's time to get that off.” Nimble fingers made quick work of the clasps on his armor, then gently removed it and his shirt. “Did you do anything to this or were you planning on waiting until now?”

“The others needed the healing more than I did.”

“There are other ways of healing.”

After pressing a kiss to Fjord's forehead, Caleb pulled something out of a nearby drawer that he opened and set on a small table. He removed a few things from it, then knelt next to Fjord's injured side. Gloved hands gently prodded the area followed by a damp cloth slowly dragging across it. Despite the burn, Fjord did his best to remain as still as possible while Caleb carefully cleaned the wound. 

“Much better. I'll wrap it for you after we get out of the bath.”

“Caleb?” A hand on his shoulder paused his movement partway through standing up. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome. Just don't forget next time. I know you feel responsible for keeping everyone safe, but that doesn't mean you should disregard your own wellbeing. Even if there is not enough magic to go around, there are some of us that know how to tend to wounds. Doing that is better than leaving your wound to bleed.”

“I'm sorry for worrying you.”

“There's no need to apologize.” The gloves snapped off his hands, then Caleb gently cradled Fjord's jaw. “Ask next time. Please?”

“Promise."

With a tired smile, Caleb pressed another kiss to his forehead, then finished putting the supplies away. He helped Fjord over to the bath and took special care to help him avoid tugging at the wound. A loud groan at the warmth of the water surrounding his aching muscles brought a fond smile to Caleb's face that Fjord returned.

“Are you joining me?”

“I was the one that called for it. Do you really think I don't plan to join?”

“Well, you're taking your sweet time. The water's going to be cold by the time you get in.”

A coy smile played along Caleb's lips as he flicked off his coat, holsters and shirt, then a small flame appeared in his hand. “There's no need to worry about that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	14. Day 14. "I didn't mean it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Empire Siblings

“What exactly is our plan here? Are we just going to trust that your old friends aren't going to screw us over the instant they get the chance? We had one dinner with them where they weren't completely terrible. That doesn't mean anything.”

“If you are so against the plan, then what is it that you suggest we do because we do not have a whole lot of options here and a limited amount of time.”

“At this point, I'm thinking anything is better than them. Now isn't the time to be trying to strike it up again with your old flames just because they're around. There are lives at stake, and you're suggesting we fuck around like they haven't been working for Trent for years. Why don't you just hand yourself over?”

While he tried to hold Beau's gaze, the intensity in her eyes was too much for him to maintain eye contact any longer. Rather than risk seeing the same in the others, he looked down at the table and waited for her to continue. His shoulders began to hunch as the silence filled the room to the point it was nearly suffocating.

“Caleb,” A hand landed tentatively on his shoulder, then gripped it in a firm squeeze. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm just... There's a lot that could go wrong with this, and I'm not sure bringing in two people we can't trust is the best idea.”

“I understand that, but we are not in a good position with the intel that we have. Obtaining that could take weeks, which is time we do not have. I am not suggesting that we trust them, but we need information.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“I've made it no secret that I want them to have the same chance I did. There's still good in them, Beauregard. They just need the same chance I did.”

“They might not.”

“They should have the chance. All of them should.”

With a sigh, Beau gave him another squeeze on the shoulder, then let her hand drop back to her side. “If we do this, we need to be prepared for them to cause issues. We'll need a backup plan. We need to be prepared for them to turn on us.”

“I know.”

“So, what do we ask?”

“Twenty-five words isn't a lot of room to work with. If we could get them to the tower...”

“How do we do that without Trent knowing? He seemed to be watching them pretty closely.”

“I have a few ideas.”

“Let's hear them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	15. Day 15. "Run. Don't look back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

The abomination heading right for them didn't slow in the slightest from any of their attacks that slammed into it. In fact, it didn't even seem to register that they were hitting it at all. Every spell seemed to bounce right off its thick hide or do so little that they barely even left a mark. It simply continued to charge straight for them with no sign of deviating its path for any reason other than to follow them.

His last-ditch attempt to get some other response out of it struck it right in the center of the face. It let out a horrific screech in response to the attack, then narrowed its gaze to focus completely on him. As it began to pick up its pace once more, a figure stepped between the two of them to block the path. Before he could say a word, Fjord planted his feet in the ground and looked over his shoulder at him.

“Run. Don't look back.”

“Fjord-”

“I'm on empty. I know you are, too. Get out of here.”

“I'm not going to leave-”

“Please stop arguing with me, Cay. That thing is coming for you. Run.” He snapped his mouth shut when the words refused to come in favor of simply shaking his head instead. “Caleb.”

“I won't abandon you.”

“It's not abandoning. I'm asking you to do it.”

“You can't take this on by yourself.”

“That's not the point. The point-”

The slam of the head into Fjord's body sent him flying across the room right into a wall that cracked from the impact. He didn't even get the chance to scream Fjord's name before the abomination was towering over him. Its many eyes blinked at him for a long few seconds, then the mandibles clicked in his direction. An uncertain step backwards caused his feet to catch on a stone that caused him to lose his balance. His body hit the ground hard enough to knock the air out of his lungs.

It moved to completely standing over him, which allowed him to see the gigantic maw hidden on the underside. The mandibles clicked at him again as it began to lower its body down toward him. His heart began to pound loudly in his chest, until all he could hear was the roar of his blood pounding in his ears.

A sudden shriek from the abomination pulled him out of his stupor to find Fjord carving through it with the glowing Star Razor. When it began to turn to focus on Fjord, he threw out a fire bolt that went through the gapping maw to slam the inside of its mouth. Its eyes flicked back to him for a terrifying moment that Fjord took full advantage of. Blood gushed from the growing wound in its side, staining the ground a tar black from the thick liquid.

While it managed to get in a few hits on Fjord, the streak of the Star Razor singing through the air to land blow after blow proved to be the greater of the two. Caleb barely managed to crawl out of the way before it collapsed in a heap of limbs that twitched a few more times. They both exhaled as the abomination finally went completely still with its many eyes closed and black blood puddling on the ground.

A hand extended to help him up so roughly he ended up stumbling into Fjord's chest. “Fjord-”

“Next time I tell you to run, listen to me.”

“I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself for me.”

“No, you'll just get eaten.”

“We said we would make this work. Together.”

“Yeah, that means trusting me when I tell you to run.” With a heavy sigh, Fjord dropped his forehead down to rest them against each other. “Please, trust me enough to know I'm not just trying to get myself killed when I tell you run. I needed you safe, so I could focus. That's all I wanted. Will you please trust me next time?”

“Ja, I can do that.”

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	16. Day 16. Broken Bones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

A sickening crack filled the air as the mace caught Caleb's outstretched arm on a vicious downswing. While he didn't cry out in pain, Fjord could see the twist to his face and the hitch in his chest as his breathing stuttered. His arm went completely limp by his side instead of flicking up to cast a shield that could protect him from the next blow. The force of the second blow sent him to the ground in a heap that had his attacker grinning in triumph.

Before they could stand over him, Fjord cut the distance between them to put himself between the two. The grin turned into an annoyed snarl that Fjord completely ignored in favor of taking two swings of the Star Razor. Both landed against his opponent with the second catching him right between two of the plates in his armor. Magic surged through the sword to make the second hit even more of a thorn in their side.

After releasing a furious roar, they swung their mace at Fjord, but both their attempts ended up missing him entirely. The last swing left an opening that Fjord immediately took advantage of with a heavy blow from the Star Razor. A bloody gurgle filled the air as he dislodged his sword for a final swing that removed their head from their shoulders.

While the head went rolling, Fjord shifted all of his attention to the wizard still on the ground. “Can I see?”

Tentatively, Caleb shifted his body to let Fjord see the obviously broken arm resting in his lap. The faint white of bone poking through the skin had Fjord wincing in sympathy as he knelt down in front of him. Caleb's entire body went tense when Fjord slowly reached out to carefully pull back the sleeve of his coat. When Caleb made no protest, Fjord gently used both hands to lift it up high enough to get a good look at.

“It looks like it was a clean break at least.”

“Great.” The clench of Caleb's teeth made his tone sound sharp. “Do something.”

“I'm not sure I have enough to heal it like this. I think I'll need to set it first.”

“Just do it.”

“I will, but I need you to breath.”

While Caleb took several deep breaths, Fjord shifted them around to put Caleb in his lap with his face pressed against his chest. He counted to three in his head, then quickly reset the bone as best he could. A wail of pain muffled against his armor made a wave of regret spike through his heart, but he stayed focused. As the familiar warmth of healing pushed through his hands, all his concentration went to focusing it on healing the bones and damaged muscle. To his frustration, he quickly came to the end of his capabilities leaving him simply holding Caleb's arm.

A sniffle against his chest lead to him pressing an instinctive kiss to the top of Caleb's head and tenderly rubbing his undoubtedly sore muscles. “Is that better?”

“Ja, much. Thank you.”

“We'll get you more healing when we meet back up with the others. Do you think you can walk?”

“My arm was broken, not my legs.” Despite the sarcasm, Fjord could hear the exhaustion lacing his words. “I can make it.”

“Setting a bone is setting a bone. Also, that wasn't the only hit you took. How are your ribs feeling?”

“Fine.”

With a roll of his eyes, Fjord readjusted his hold on Caleb to keep him in his arms as he rose to his feet. “Let's not risk it.”

“Now you are just showing off.”

“All I'm trying to do is help.”

“Well, then I suppose I should thank you.” A feather light kiss ghosted across his cheek, then Caleb let his head rest on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome, Cay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	17. Day 17. Hostage Situation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

With a hiss of annoyance, Avantika released her hold on Fjord's armor in favor of disappearing from sight. When he didn't hear a splash, he quickly whipped around to see his worst fear come to life. The gleam of a wicked dagger pressed against the delicate skin of Caleb's throat as he stood completely still in Avantika's arms. Her lips twisted into a cruel smile at the same time she dug the blade hard enough to break the skin.

“I have to say, I've been looking forward to this. You can make things easy by handing it over and coming with me, or we can do this the difficult way.”

“Let him go. He doesn't have anything to do with this.”

“Oh, we both know that's a lie. You think I don't know he's the one that figured out my journal? The one you used to betray me. Remember that?” She dug the blade deeper, causing the blood to well and slowly drip. “Not to mention, all the fire and the annoying spell that prevented me from putting it out to get to all of you. This one is quite the plan destroyer, wouldn't you say? I think it wise to get him off the playing board, unless you'd rather make this easy.”

“What is your plan?”

“It's a trade. His life for the orb and you. What will it be, Fjord?”

While he wanted to immediately reject her offer, his eyes flicking down to meet Caleb's blue eyes caused him to hold his tongue. The hint of terror he was trying his best to disguise behind a blank wall of determination caused his heart to squeeze painfully in his chest. Everything he'd done to her had been for Fjord, and he'd worn the orb that Uk'otoa desperately wanted around his neck. He put Caleb in this position.

“You're considering it for him.” The smile grew a little darker as she tightened her grip on the dagger. “Would you give it all up for him? How romantic.”

A spray of blood flew through the air as the dagger sliced through Caleb's throat so quickly Fjord barely saw it. The light in his eyes dimmed to nothing and the steady movement of his chest came to a halt. The hands around him released sending his limp body to the deck of the ship without a care for where he landed.

With a roar of fury, Fjord launched himself the remaining distance between them to bring the Star Razor down on Avantika. Anticipating her stepping out of the way, he arched it through the air in a path that made it unavoidable. The extra punch of the divine magic pumping into her sent her stumbling a step back. His second strike embedded between her shoulder and throat with a sickening thud.

When she flicked out a dagger to try to drive him back, he brought up his forearm to let it bounce harmlessly off his bracer. Her next attack was parried away by his blade as he stepped forward to cut the distance between them to nothing. Rather than take a strike with the Star Razor, his hand snapped out to grab her by the throat and lifted her off her feet. He slammed her against the door to the captain’s quarters, then stabbed his sword through her chest.

As she began to take a wild swing at him, he released his hold on her neck allowing gravity to do the work. With her toes barely brushing the ground, she tried to reach him with the sword, but only succeeded in letting the sword cut further up. Before she could try anything else, he gripped the hilt of the sword and ripped it out and up. He used the momentum to swing it back around to bisect her right through the abdomen.

His chest heaved from exertion as he let the Star Razor fall to the deck next to the bottom half of Avantika's body. After a few shaky steps, he dropped to his knees next to Caleb's body, then carefully lifted him into his arms. Blood still flowed freely from the deep gash across his neck onto his new winter gear and the deck. He brought his body tighter into his chest and pressed a kiss to the top of his head as he fought back tears.

A shadow fell across him that ended up being Caduceus dropping to his knees to press a diamond to Caleb. The warmth of the Wildmother surrounded them for a moment, then Caleb burst to life in his arms. His hand reached up to clutch at Fjord's arm and he blinked up at Fjord in confusion.

“What happened?”

“It's not a problem anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	18. Day 18. "I can't see."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Brjeaus

The slam of their bodies into a rocky floor knocked the air out of her lungs and sent a wave of pain through her. She took a moment to catch her breath, then rolled onto her side to check for Fjord. A sticky substance met her hand that she quickly identified as blood despite the pitch black pressing in around them. The coppery scent helped her find Fjord's body a few feet away from where she landed.

While it took some careful patting, she managed to find his chest to check for breathing. The steady rise and fall brought her some comfort, but the blood was still worrying. She did her best to find the source, then let out a frustrated huff when all she found was more blood.

“I can't see! Fucking Veth. Should've gotten my goggles back when I had the chance.” Her hand slid in the blood on the ground as she tried to readjust Fjord's body to better pat him down. “Fucking fuck!”

When she still couldn't locate the source of the blood, she shifted her focus to blindly digging through her pockets for something that might help. The cool glass of a health potion gave her a momentary sense of relief that quickly disappeared at the thought of the next step. Her hand slid up his torso and neck, until she located his mouth. After opening his mouth enough to avoid spilling the potion everywhere, she took the stopper off and slowly poured it in.

She kept the potion hovering for longer than she thought necessary to be sure every drop of it went in Fjord's mouth, then sat back to wait. The frustration of not knowing how well it worked because she couldn't see anything grew the longer Fjord's body remained still. Even if he began to wake, she wouldn't know unless he moved or said something. What felt like a few long minutes of waiting later, her shoulders began to sink when nothing seemed to happen, then a heavy groan filled the air.

“Fjord?”

“Not so loud.” He groaned a second time. “Where are we?”

“We fell. I can't see shit. You're bleeding. I have no idea where any of the others are. I think that about sums it up.”

“That's a lot of information. Also, I think I'm about to throw up.”

“Don't do it on me.”

“I'll try not to, but there are two of you.”

After scooting back from him, Beau tipped her head back in a futile attempt to see something above them. “I'm guessing there's no way for you to get us back up.”

“If I knew how far we fell, maybe. I'm not sure.”

“I could try scaling it, but that would mean leaving you down here. There's no telling what might be down here.”

“The others haven't sent a message?”

“No, which is worrying.”

“They might still be fighting those things. Let's just wait a little longer.”

“Are you going to pass out on me again?”

“I'll try not to.” A grunt came from Fjord followed by his body dragging across the ground a short distance. “Talking might help. If you're feeling up to it.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Anything, just keep me talking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	19. Day 19. Sleep Deprivation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Empire Siblings & Widofjord

Despite trying to focus on the text in front of him, his mind kept wandering to the phantom sensation on his right upper arm. While he knew it was no longer there, that didn't stop his hand from reaching up to feel the scarred skin or his thoughts from drifting to it. For the past week, his nights had all gone the same way despite Fjord's attempts to shepherd him off to bed. The faint call of something no longer there refused to let him rest.

With a sigh, Caleb quietly shut the heavy tome, then turned to check on Fjord. The other was already fast asleep in their bed with one arm flung out in open invitation for Caleb to join him. Despite how tempting the offer, he knew he would spend the night staring into the darkness with nine eyes staring back. Instead, he crept out of the room and quietly closed the door behind him.

After a moment of hesitation, he headed down to the salon for some reason that he couldn't entirely place. As soon as he saw the figure standing by the large fireplace, the scar on his shoulder twinged in response. He watched her hand give a little twitch in answer, but she remained staring into the dying embers. Torn between staying and leaving, her voice breaking the silence made his decision for him.

“Can't sleep?”

“Have you?”

“No.”

“How much is real and how much is the delirium from sleep deprivation?”

Beau gave a lazy shrug of her shoulders, then finally turned to look at him. “Does it really matter? Either way, we're not sleeping.”

“One is more dangerous than the other.”

“Are you sure about that? I'm not. We're not sleeping either way. It'll get us killed at some point.”

“So, what is the plan now?" He rubbed his hand absentmindedly at his arm as he took a few steps closer. “Keep staying up until it goes away, or we finally pass out from exhaustion?”

“What else is there to do? You see them, or you'd be sleeping right now. Unless they go away, we're not getting any sleep.”

“And if they never go away?”

“I don't know. We didn't have much of a plan going into this, did we?”

“When do we ever? We tend to fly by the seat of our pants. It is kind of what we do.”

“Didn't turn out so well this time.”

Caleb hummed under his breath as he dropped onto the rug in front of the fire with his knees pulled up to his chest. After standing a moment longer, Beau dropped onto the rug next to him and let her head fall on his shoulder. Her scarred hand reached out to squeeze a knee, then stayed there when he didn't push her away. He let his own head lean sideways to rest against the top of hers and tried to close his eyes.

While he expected nine eyes to greet him, all he was met with was a void of darkness surrounding him. He waited for the inevitable creeping sensation on his arm that would precede them popping into existence around him. When it still didn't happen, he forced his eyes open again to make sure something wasn't happening around him. The fire in the hearth warmly greeted him as did the soft snores of Beau sleeping soundly on his shoulder.

He stared unblinkingly at the fire, until Beau shuffled in her sleep to press herself more firmly against him with an annoyed huff. With a smile, his hand lazily flicked out to take the blanket from his unseen servant. While it took slow movements to accomplish, Caleb wrapped it around the both of them knowing it would likely fall away in the night. Satisfied with his work, his eyes slipped shut once more into blissful darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	20. Day 20. Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

“You've been quiet. Something on your mind?”

“I'm always quiet.”

“And you always have something on your mind.”

“Then I don't see the point of your questioning. I'm acting the same as always.”

With a sigh, Fjord sat on the bed near enough he could touch him but far enough away he wouldn't feel trapped. “I don't know that I would go that far. It hasn't exactly been a normal day. A lot happened. More than a lot.”

“So, you thought it best to check in?”

“I thought you might want to talk.”

“Not particularly. I think I did enough of that earlier.” When his fingers began to dig nervously at his arm, Fjord slowly reached out a hand to cover his and pulled it away. “If you have something to say, just do it already.”

“What would I have to say? Thank you for saving our lives back there is the only thing that comes to mind, but I get the feeling that isn't what you're looking for. What is it that you want me to say?”

“I don't know. Nothing.”

“I don't believe that. I think you have something on your chest that you need to get off it. You can talk to me.”

After a momentary pause, blue eyes focused on him so intently it took all of his self-control not to divert eye contact and shuffle nervously in place. “This is a good opportunity. It is. I do not know that the Bright Queen is willing to see reason and end this war, but it is the closest to a chance I have seen. If we can continue to do good here, maybe we can help bring an end to all of it. The people would no longer suffer for the quarrels and misdeeds of those in power.”

“But?”

“I am a child of the Empire. There is corruption in the ranks. I know that well enough, although I do not know how far it goes. It is there. That is not on the people though. I love my people. They are my family. They should not suffer because those in charge wage war with their lives. What I did today... I do not know the consequences.”

“You said it yourself. This is a good opportunity to open at least one side to the idea of brokering some form of peace.”

“Or I made it worse. More lives will be lost and more of my people will suffer.”

“Decisions like this are never easy and there's no way to know the consequences. We just have to make the most out of it and hope that the wrong choice wasn't made.”

Caleb's fingers tightly twisted into the fabric of his pants as he took a deep, shuddering breath. “I believed myself to be doing everything for the Empire. What I became was supposed to be for the Empire. At the time, I thought that meant for the people and it wasn't. I betrayed them for selfish gains. I tortured them. I killed them. If handing that over causes the same... That is all blood on my hands. They had no say in any of it. I betrayed them, again.”

“If. You said if. This isn't set in stone. There's more work to be done. This is a drop in the ocean of hatred that exists between these countries. It's not going to fix things overnight, but one drop can ripple out into so much more. This is a start.”

“Or it is an end. We didn't fully understand it. We don't know what it's capable of. I could have just handed over an ace in the hole.”

“Maybe, but they would have gotten it either way. We got caught and couldn't talk our way out of it. Fighting would've gotten us killed. This is a chance, just like any other. We have to make the most of it. You did the best you could. You didn't betray them. Even if things go worse, you didn't betray them. You took a risk for them, but you didn't betray them.”

“Intentions don't forgive wrongdoing.”

“That doesn't mean they don't matter. Maybe, you should focus on why you did it and we can deal with what comes of it later.”

“We?”

“We're in this together. Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	21. Day 21. Torture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Past Widowulf & Current Widofjord

“What are you looking at?”

Despite the curious tone, Eodwulf knew that Astrid already had all the information she needed to come to the correct conclusion on her own. “The party.”

“That looks like a private party to me, but they are in public. You could always ask to join.”

“Is that what you plan to do?”

“My eyes are elsewhere. I'm not torturing myself by looking at what I can't have and remembering when I did.”

“You just said I could ask to join.”

“That doesn't mean I think they'd say yes.” A rhythmic tapping on the top of the bar to the beat of the music started up. “I don't know if you've noticed, but he's a bit of a possessive one. He keeps him close.”

“I've noticed.”

“You have been watching them all night.”

“Not all night.”

“Oh, did you actually do what we agreed to do?”

With a heavy sigh, Eodwulf finally ripped his eyes away from the couple slow dancing together to meet Astrid's judgmental gaze. “Have you?”

“I have actually. I've spoken with all of them. Beau asked if we would be interested in getting some drinks after this to finish out the night. I get the feeling she was attempting to extend an olive branch for his sake. She's a critical one, but she's making the effort.”

“You don't have to convince me to come. We agreed.”

“I'm well aware. She did mention they have a place for us to crash if it gets late. Will that change your mind?”

“Why would it?”

“Wasn't sure if you were planning on doing this most of the night or all of it.”

“It'll take time.”

“I know.” Her own eyes flicked over to where the two were still lost in their own world. “He looks happy. They both do. From what the others have mentioned, they are good for each other.”

“I'm sure they are. He knows him better than we do.”

“We can get to know him again, as friends. That is not so far out of reach as it once seemed. He made sure of that.”

He hummed in acknowledgement under his breath, then quickly tossed back the last of his drink and motioned for another from the bartender. The entire time he could feel Astrid closely watching his every move to determine how best to continue the conversation. While he didn't try to hide anything from her, he did nothing to make it easier for her to decipher his body language.

“Do you want to get to know him again?”

“Of course.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why would I not be?”

“Change is hard. Parts of him are the same, but he's not who we remember him to be.”

“Neither are we.” An exchange of coin and nod of thanks later he brought the new drink up to his lips to enjoy the slow burn. “Did she tell you when they planned to leave?”

“No, but I don't imagine they plan to stick around much longer. I get the feeling most of them aren't fans of these types of events.”

“Good.”

“You should go talk to some of them before they decide to leave. It'll make things easier. Maybe start with Caduceus. The two of you got on well last time.”

“I will. After this drink.”

The look in her eyes spoke the words she left unsaid as she turned to rejoin the party. “Last I saw, he was hanging out by the balcony. Not that it matters. He's tall. You'll be able to find him when you're done here. I'll be with Beau if you need me.”

“I'll be fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	22. Day 22. Burned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

The flames licked up the walls and furniture surrounding him in a sudden burst around him that consumed the space. A cruel smile twisted onto the man's face as he took a moment to appreciate what he did. His eyes met Caleb's for a long moment, then he gave a last wave of his hand to send the flames rocketing higher and left.

When he tried to move his feet, he found his limbs refusing to move as the flames began to crawl up his legs. The familiar smell of burning flesh sent his mind reeling with memories of his parents screams of horror and pain. It would only be fitting for his life to come to an end the same way their lives did at his hands. 

“Caleb!” A panicked voice barely sounded over the roaring flames already in the process of consuming him. “Caleb, where are you? Caleb!”

The yelling turned to screaming as he dropped to his knees with his hands pressed over his ears to block out the sound of it. No matter how hard he pressed, the screaming only got louder and louder, until it was the only sound he could hear. He slammed his hands into the ground, then dragged his fingernails across the charred wood floor. It would just be a little longer and he wouldn't have to hear the screams. He wouldn't have to feel the all-consuming warmth. He wouldn't have to smell his burning flesh.

Something suddenly slammed into him so hard he ended up knocked backwards onto his back from the unexpected force of it. The impact of his head striking the ground left him dizzily blinking up at the ceiling while he struggled to get his thoughts together. Before he could do more than realize it was no longer scorching around him, a dark shadow fell across him.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Fjord dropped to his knees with a hand hovering uncertainly over his body. “Caduceus, he's in here! Come quick!”

As gently as possible, Fjord placed his hand on Caleb's chest to send a wave of healing through him. Despite being careful, tears welled in his eyes from the pain of Fjord simply touching his burned skin. The hand immediately drew back as Fjord's face wrinkled up in a mixture of concern and frustration.

“Are you with me, Caleb?” When all he could manage was shifting his gaze to Fjord, the other stiffly nodded his head and shuffled nervously in place. “Cad will get you fixed up, then we'll get out here.”

The soft crunch of boots against the floor distracted Fjord's attention away from him for a few brief moments. A soft voice filled the air with a steady stream of words that continued the entire time Caduceus took to heal him. Instead of focusing on them, he let his mind wander to the memories he lost himself to when the fire raged around him.

It wasn't until a large hand wrapped around his newly healed one that the memories faded enough for him to focus on the world around him. He accepted Fjord's help to his feet, then leaned heavily into his side when his legs threatened to give out on him. The gentle press of lips against the top of his head followed by Fjord giving him a comforting squeeze helped ground him a little bit more.

“The others are going to finish up here. We're going to go back to the inn to get you cleaned up. Does that sound okay?” Caleb gave a little nod of agreement, then leaned heavier against his side. “If you need to stop to rest, we can do that. Whatever you need, Cay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	23. Day 23. "Don't look."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Empire Siblings

The slam of their hilt against her temple caused her vision to blur, so she didn't see the next hit coming. Her nose crunched and spurted out blood that slid down her face to fill her mouth with the coppery substance. Arms wrapped tightly around her to keep them pinned to her side and prevented her from retaliating. At her first attempt to struggle, they tightened to the point she could feel her arms threatening to break from the pressure.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you.” Despite wanting to continue, she stopped at the sight of Caleb gripped tightly by the throat. “That's what I thought. You all are becoming quite the nuisance. Much more trouble than your worth. I'm losing my patience, but I could still use some of you.”

“You think we're going to help you?”

“I didn't say you needed to be willing.”

“What do you even want with us?”

“Does it matter? You'll follow either way. It's quite annoying. In fact, I think it's time you learned to back off.”

A smile twisted Lucien's lips, then he easily lifted Caleb off the ground with his eyes still completely focused on Beau. Before she could even attempt to struggle once more, the arms locked her completely in place. All she could do was helplessly watch as Caleb desperately tried to claw at the hand wrapped around his throat to no avail. While she expected Lucien to immediately cause Caleb's eyes to bleed, his hold on Caleb's throat marginally loosened.

“Is there anything you want to say? Now is your last chance.”

For a moment, she thought Caleb wouldn't say a word, then his eyes locked with hers. “Beauregard, don't look.”

“Where is the fun in that?”

“Close your eyes. Don't look.”

“You take the fun out of everything.”

The pleading look in Caleb's eyes had her snapping her own shut before Lucien could tighten his grip once more. A heavy sigh filled the air followed by a scream that grew in intensity for a horrible few seconds, then abruptly cut off. The arms around her suddenly loosened causing her to fall to her knees from the unexpected release. She kept her eyes squeezed shut as she listened to the crunch of boots against the snow around her.

It wasn't until all sound of the Tombtakers completely disappeared that she finally forced herself to open her eyes. Blood tinted the snow around Caleb bright pink from where it freely poured out of his nose, eyes and mouth. His lifeless eyes stared right through her as she crawled across the snow to get to him. Carefully, she ran her hands across his eyes to close them, then gently wiped away the blood. With nothing else to do, she propped his head on her lap and ran her fingers through his loose hair.

When a new crunch of boots in the snow reached her ears, she didn't bother to look up from Caleb's completely still face. She shrugged off a hand that settled on her shoulder, then scrunched down to use her body as a shield between Caleb and them.

“When Lucien let him have his last words, he asked me not to look. That's what he was worried about when Lucien had him by the throat. He didn't want me to watch. I'm going to fucking kill him. I'll rip him apart with my bare hands if that's what it takes.” Her hand gave a warm pulse and her heart beat faster in her chest. “All of them are dead.”

A sudden gasp from her lap drew her attention to burning red eyes that faded to their normal blue after a few shaky breaths. After a moment of collecting himself, Caleb pushed up to sit next to her in the snow. He slowly cracked his neck, then brought a hand up to wipe at where the blood had poured from his face.

“I saw them. All of them. They called to me. I know how to bring them back.”

“We'll kill him before they do that.”

“Ja,” Caleb's lips twisted up in a grin, then his eyes flashed red once more. “and I know how.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	24. Day 24. Memory Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Widofjord

After a few blinks to clear the sleep from his eyes, he pushed up from his bedroll to look at people still fast asleep around him. He smiled softly at Yasha and Beau curled close together with Jester’s tail thrown across all of them from her spot pressed against Beau's back. A sniffle at his side followed by something pressing tightly against his leg drew his attention down to Fjord trying to pull Caleb closer in his sleep. His fingers brushed through Fjord's hair earning him a pleased grumble.

“We should get moving soon.”

He blinked at the woman across from him for a few moments before her name finally came to mind. “Oh, ja. I can wake them.”

“We can wait for the sunrise.” Vilya rose from her spot to sit next to him with her gaze on the sun rising over the horizon painting the sky vibrant oranges and reds. “It is a beautiful sight.”

“It is. It has been a long time since I enjoyed a sunrise.”

They fell into companionable silence for the hour it took the sun to rise high enough in the sky they could no longer put off waking the others. While Caduceus and Yasha were beginning to stir, it took a little prodding to get all the others to rise. It only took a few gentle shakes to Fjord's shoulder to pull him grumbling from sleep.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, Cay.” With a yawn, Fjord sat up to stretch, only to pause midway through and cock his head curiously to the side. “Good morning?”

“Ja, you said that already.”

“Yeah, and so did you. Do you know my name?”

“Of course, I remember your name, Fjord.”

“What about the rest of them?”

For a moment, he considered questioning why Fjord wanted him to do that, but he simply shrugged his shoulders and turned from one member of their group to the next. “Yasha, Jester, Beauregard, Veth, Caduceus, Vilya.”

“What are we doing today?”

“We are going to...” While it felt like the answer was on the tip of his tongue, it was just out of reach. “I don't remember. Why? Did we have plans?”

“You don't remember?”

“No. Is something wrong? You seem worried.”

A hand gently reached out to cup his jaw, then tilted his head back so he was looking up at Fjord. “Where are we?”

“An island?”

“Where were we before we came here?”

“I don't remember.” When Fjord's concern turned to fear, Caleb cut the distance between them to exchange a kiss. “What are you worried about? I feel fine. Great actually.”

“But you can't remember where we are or what we're doing or what we've done. You remember everything.”

“I don't know what to say.”

“Just sit right here, okay? I'll be right back.”

“Okay.”

After pressing a kiss to the top of his head, Fjord hurried over to where Jester and Caduceus were seated by a newly started fire. Instead of trying to figure out what he was saying, Caleb looked at the others for some sign of what Fjord might be concerned about. The others seemed to be going about their morning routine as normal with none of the worry that Fjord possessed.

“Cay?” His head snapped to face Fjord with Caduceus standing behind him. “Can Cad do something?”

“Do what?”

“Greater restoration, just to clear things up.”

Hesitantly, Caleb accepted the hand Fjord held out to him, then gripped it tightly when Caduceus reached out a hand. The other gave him a comforting smile before a cool breeze picked up around them. Memories began to flash before him, then halted abruptly. His mind and body felt heavy at the realization of why he woke lighter than he had in years.

A soft caress along his cheek dragged him out of his own head. “How do you feel?”

“Fine. We should get moving.”

“Cay-”

“We need to go. We wouldn't want that to happen again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	25. Day 25. Identity Reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Empire Siblings

“Do you want to see the others?”

Beau paused her writing to look up at him with her face wrinkled up in confusion. “Other what?”

“The other doors. Do you want to see what's behind them?”

“Do you want me to?”

“I offered.”

After a moment of simply staring at him, Beau snapped her journal shut and tucked it away as she rose from her chair. She followed him in silence to the center of the tower to float up to the eighth floor together. The floor opened in response to the words whispered under his breath, then immediately shut behind them. As soon as their feet touched the ground, he motioned for her to select one of the doors surrounding them.

“Any of them?”

“You can go in them all, so it doesn't really matter which one you pick.”

Beau went to the first door, then made her way slowly around the room. “Home. Home. Academy. Astrid. Trent. Trent. Home. Sanatorium. Inn.”

“You don't have to guess. You can go in.”

She gave him a hard look, then rounded the room to enter the fifth door with the it left open behind her. He entered the windowless room after her and waited for her to take in the manacles on the walls, the tray of equipment in the corner and the blood-stained floor. When she finally turned to look at him, he stepped over to one of the sets of manacles hanging on the wall.

“We spent a lot of time here. It was our job to question traitors to the Empire. There was no limit to what we could to. As long as we got the information, that was all that mattered.”

“What happened if you didn't get information?”

“We were taught a lesson.”

“What lesson?”

He tugged on one of the manacles, then headed out of the room. “You know exactly what lesson. What is the best way to learn?”

Rather than answer, Beau moved to open the next door and stepped into the large room with three identical chairs. He watched her ran a finger along the stained arms of one of the chairs, then move to inspect the metal trays. She lifted a gleaming scalpel into the air and looked pointedly at his arms. With Beau watching his every move, he took a seat in the chair closest to her, rolled up his sleeve and strapped his right arm down.

“This was his favorite experiment. He never told us what the crystals were. All he said was they would be able to make us more powerful. It was a matter of figuring out the best way to do it. Crystals, dust, a combination. He tried melding it to the bone and placing them at strategic points. He must have figured out what he was trying to accomplish, but I never saw that.”

“Do you know what they are now?”

His eyes flicked over to the green dust for a moment, then met Beau's gaze once more. “When we were looking for it in Uthodurn, I recognized it. Jester and Caduceus have some. Residuum, a replacement for magical components. A wizard with access to that at all times is a dangerous thing. Even if you have them imprisoned, they will be a problem if you don't have something to prevent magic.”

“Are they still in you?”

“I never took them out. I don't remember all of my time in the Sanatorium, so it is possible he did. You can check if you want.”

“I can't heal you.”

“That is not a problem.”

Beau dropped the scalpel into the tray, then moved to undo the strap around his wrist. “I'm not going to do what he did to you.”

“You wouldn't be. I have wondered for a while. Finger articulation is important for wizards to transcribe and cast spells, but you don't need feeling in your arms to do it.”

“You can't feel your arms?”

“Between the wrist and elbow, not really.” When Beau remained quiet, he rose from the chair and led her out of the room by a hand on his back. “Which next?”

"You said all of these are memories. Some of them good, some of them bad. You're not this anymore.”

“No, but this is still my life. These are my memories. This was Bren, then I met all of you. I am glad to have met you. I was unsure at the time. Even when I told you about what I did, I was unsure. At the time, I knew it was a risk, but I could still run if I needed to. Thank you for keeping my secret.”

“Yeah, well, it wasn't my secret to tell.”

“But you could have. Plenty of people would have.”

“There was still a lot about Bren that I didn't know, but I knew enough to know there was more to it.”

“And now?”

“I still don't have the whole picture, but I'm getting there. Not that it matters.”

“You're curious.”

“I always am,” Beau placed a hand on his arm to give it a firm squeeze. “but these memories are from Bren's life. If I could go back, I'd help him, but I can't. So, I'll settle for helping you do what you need to do and stick by your side when it's all over. We have to, right?”

“The Empire kids.”

“Yeah, the fucking Empire kids.”

“Thank you, Beau.”

Arms wrapped around his shoulders as Beau pulled him into a tight hug that he immediately returned. “Stop thanking me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	26. Day 26. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Empire Siblings

The cool sea breeze blew pleasantly as he gently rocked the bench as best he could without upsetting his aching body. Despite Caduceus healing all of his wounds, every rise and fall of his chest caused a phantom pain where it had been ripped open. He had barely been able to walk the short distance from his bed to his balcony to get out of the confines of his room for a few hours. By the time he reached the swing bench, he all but collapsed on it while he struggled to breathe through the immense pain. It took longer than he would care to admit for his breathing to even out and the pain to die down, so he could enjoy the view.

On the next soft push, the sound of the balcony door opening reached his ears, but he kept his eyes focused on the slowly setting sun. The soft, even steps told him exactly who it was before she came into his peripheral vision. She took over rocking the bench for him at a much more constant rate than he could manage. Since he no longer needed to do that, Caleb resettled into a more comfortable position and let out a sigh of relief. 

“That is why Caddy told you to stay in bed.”

“It is nice out. I missed the ocean. I understand why Fjord is always so eager to return to it. It is relaxing.”

"Thinking about retiring to that little cottage by the sea he always talks about when this is all over.”

“It would certainly not be so bad.” He rubbed at his sore chest for a moment, then let his hand fall back into his lap. “That is a very long ways away. There is still a lot to do.”

“Still set on continuing?”

“Why would I not be?”

“I literally stuffed your insides back in you earlier. Seems like a pretty good reason to decide you've had enough. Trent is gone. The corruption in the Assembly is being taken care of. I'm sure they'd give you a place if you wanted one.”

“If you were getting tired of me, all you had to do is say so.”

“I'm not. You just have options open. It would make sense for you to consider them after what happened today. Spending all day surrounded by books teaching people how to use magic. Sounds like a dream come true for you.”

“Maybe, in another life. I do not think I am destined for that.”

“Since when do you believe in destiny?”

His finger tapped thoughtfully against the arm of the bench for a few moments as he considered the best way to word his response. “There was a time well before all of this when that was what I wanted in life. A different opportunity was presented to me that I took to lead me to the path I now walk. I do not think I would be content to sit behind a desk while the rest of you are off doing your thing. I want to be with you. With all of you.”

“Even if it gets you killed?”

“I know the risks. I have always known the risks, but I stayed with all of you and I am glad I did. Unless you no longer want me, there is nowhere else I would rather be.”

“Just... keep your distance this time. Leave the close combat to me.”

“Believe me, I am not eager to repeat the experience.”

“Good, then we're both in agreement.”

“About me not dying? I would certainly hope so.”

“Very funny." With a chuckle, Caleb tipped his body sideways to rest his head on her shoulder. “We should get you back inside. Cad will be disappointed if he finds you out here.”

“Just a little while longer. I want to watch the sunset.”

“Fine, but don't blame me.”

“Who else would I blame?”

“Dick.”

“Love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	27. Day 27. "I wish I had never given you a chance."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Past Widowulf & Current Widofjord

“You look good.”

“Wulf,” Caleb straightened up from the balcony in surprise as he turned to look at Eodwulf holding out a flute of champagne for him. “thank you. I didn't see you at dinner.”

“I was held up.”

“Ah, it is good to see you again. You look good as well. The cut is healing nicely.”

“Your friend has been kind enough to keep an eye on it.”

“I'm sure he would heal it if you asked.”

“It is no bother.”

While he wanted to reach out to run his fingers along the edge of the tender skin, his fingers tightened around the glass instead. “If you are sure. Were you planning on staying long or do you have business elsewhere?”

“I have nowhere else to be tonight.”

“You should talk to the others. I am sure they would be happy to see you.”

“I will.”

“Good.” After a moment of hesitation, Caleb set his drink down on a nearby table, then tried his best to not go completely stiff as he turned back to Eodwulf. “Would you care to dance?”

“Of course.”

He placed his hand in the one Eodwulf extended to him, so the other could lead him back into the ballroom. When they came to a stop, he placed his free hand on Eodwulf's shoulder while he settled his on Caleb's waist. They easily fell into the rhythm of the slow tempo alongside the other pairs already dancing.

“How are the rest of them?”

“Better. Beauregard is beginning to get a little antsy. She is not one for all these formal events. A few of the others are also ready to get moving.”

“And you will be going with them?”

“Ja, why would I not?”

“There is nothing stopping you from staying now that he is gone. You could stay.”

“There is nothing keeping me here either, not anymore.” His mouth opened and closed a few times as he struggled to put together his next words. “So many times, I wished for things to be like they once were. We were so happy together. They were such nice memories. Other times, I wished I had never given you a chance. How things ended wouldn't have hurt so much if I hadn't.”

“And now?”

“I am glad for the memories we made together, but that's all they are. What we were is in the past, but I would like to be friends. If we can again.”

“Why would we not?”

“Lovers becoming friends is not always possible.”

“We were teenagers then. We are older.”

“That is not always enough.”

Eodwulf's silence lasted through the end of the song and partway through the next. “You are not the only one that had regrets about us. You are with him now. You're happy.”

“I am.”

“Then what else is there to be other than friends? You will be leaving soon. We can catch up again whenever we see each other again, like friends do.”

“I would like that very much.”

“So, would I. And I'm glad you are happy.”

"Thank you, Wulf.” His hand slid out of Eodwulf's to join his other around his neck as he stepped closer to pull him into a hug. “I hope you are happy.”

“A lot has changed recently, but it is much better now. Much freer.”

“Good. I hope things continue to get better. I wish you nothing but happiness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	28. Day 28. "You have to let me go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters/Pairings: Astrid/Jester

Her legs shook under her as she struggled to get back to her feet while her head was still ringing from the impact. As her vision cleared, she looked around her to see the others in various bloodied states around her. Beau swayed dangerously as she used all her remaining energy to throw punches at the endless swarm with an equally wounded Yasha doing the same next to her. Caduceus hurried over to where Caleb stood over Fjord's unmoving body doing his best to keep them at bay as he took hits from those that slipped through. Eodwulf and Essek were trying to work their way to the portal, but every time they made some distance a new wave would push them back.

“Steady.” Hands gently settled on her waist and shoulder to prevent her from tumbling right back on her face. “We need you on your feet.”

After a few blinks, her vision cleared enough for her to see Astrid with blood coating the side of her face and a hand lifted to send a wind gust flinging the ones around them back. “What do we do?”

“We have a plan.”

“We?”

“Caleb!”

Jester snapped her head over to Caleb to see him pause for a moment to meet Astrid's gaze, then pulled something out of his pocket that he held above his head. “Astrid?”

“You have to let me go.”

“But they're still coming.”

“Jes, please.”

For a moment, her hand tightened where it gripped Astrid's cloak, then she shakily let the fabric slip from her fingers. Before taking off at an inhuman speed, Astrid pressed a fleeting kiss to her forehead that left a phantom sensation. She watched Astrid take advantage of the creatures moving to surround Caleb to reach the large portal. A moment of contemplation later she movement her hands in a complex pattern, then the portal exploded in a burst of energy.

Once again, her head struck the ground hard from getting flung back onto the solid rock that left her head spinning. For a moment, everything went completely dark, then consciousness returned to her. As she tried to push herself back up, a wave of nausea rolled through her that she barely fought back. She took a moment to even her breathing before attempting to finish sitting up that was aided by a pair of hands on her biceps.

“Astrid?”

“No.” When she began to tip over, Caleb moved to let her lean against him for support. “I'm sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

His arm wrapped around her to pull her into a tight hug that she immediately sank into as her eyes searched the battlefield. “The energy from it disintegrated everything within ten feet of it. She did not have time to get out.”

“She's gone?”

“I'm sorry, Jester.”

The instant tears began to flow freely down her face Caleb pulled her tightly into him with one hand pressed against the side of her head. She leaned heavily into his body for support when a sob tore through her chest. At the press of a kiss against the top of her head, she sobbed harder and clutched desperately at Caleb. More arms wrapped around her, until she was completely surrounded.

“I'm so sorry, Jester. I'm sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


End file.
